More tree damage to Vincent Carrella's Lumpkin County home from Thursday night tornado

Lumpkin County tornado victim Vincent Carrella

Room of Lumpkin County home smashed by tree from Thursday night's tornado

Tree toppled by Thursday night tornado crushed two rooms in a Lumpkin County home

Another room of a Lumpkin County home smashed by falling tree from Thursday night's tornado

Tree that fell on Vincent Carrella's Lumpkin County home during Thursday night's tornado

LUMPKIN COUNTY, GA - It may have been a low level one, but it's official: an EF1 strength tornado touched down in Southeast Lumpkin County and just across the line in Hall County during Thursday night's severe thunder storms.

After inspecting hundreds of downed trees and more than a dozen damaged homes, the National Weather Service confirmed the twister touched down at 9:23 pm about 6 miles Southeast of Dahlonega, ending at 9:29 pm about 2.5 miles Southeast of Garland.

Power and tree crews were already busy Friday afternoon trying to clean up the mess that seemed the worst along Bridgestone Way.

Scores of trees fell all around Frania Cartledge's home where a roommate was home alone.

At first the roommate thought someone was trying to break in when a huge tree suddenly came right through the kitchen roof.

Cartledge and friends were out for dinner and had trouble making their way back to the house, where they also found two smashed cars.

"I knew it'd be bad, but I didn't expect the live trees, I mean any of the trees to be just ripped out of the ground like they are and I didn't expect the kitchen to be pretty much cut in half," she told 11 Alive News.

The roommate suffered a few bruises, but there were no reports of any serious injuries in the touchdown.

Next door to Cartledge, Vincent Carrella and his wife ran for cover with their two dogs when the power went out and winds began howling.

They barely had time to hit the floor between two beds as a huge tree came crashing down on their home.

"Problem is we have no place to hide, the house is on a slab and once this house is repaired, I'm thinking about getting some kind of cellar built in where we can jump in because it's just too scary," he told 11 Alive.

11Alive News crews in Haralson County witnessed downed power lines and downed tress during a storm that swept through the area around 8 p.m. Thursday night. Although some homes and businesses were damaged and without power -- there were no reports of injuries in the immediate area.

In Rome, the entire roof of the Southern Pipe and Supply Company collapsed as a result of the heavy winds, in the area. Witnesses say large portions of the roof flew into nearby backyards.

A home in Duluth sustained fire damage after a bolt of lightening struck the home, igniting it. The fire happened on the 3000 block of Oak Hampton Way around 9:30 p.m. Three adults in the house said the power went out in then lightening struck the attic.

Everyone in the house was able to get to safely before the fire spread to other areas.